Ignition control mechanism



Feb. 12, 1952 N. V. Dl LORENZO ET AL IGNITION CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Jan. 19, 1951 Fig. 3

Nicholas M. Di Lorenzo Francis A. DiLorenzo INVENTORS Patented Feb. 12, 1952 IGNITION CONTROL, MECHANISM Nicholas V. Di Lorenzo and Francis A. Di Lorenzo,

Ohatham, N. Y.

Application January 19, 1951, Serial No. 206,853

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an ignition control mechanism adapted to cut the ignition switch on an aircraft engine or the like on crashing.

An object of this invention is to provide an inertia actuated initial control mechanism which, on the crashing of an aircraft or like vehicle, will. open. a switch, cutting the ignition circuit to the. aircraft engine to prevent the possibility of the closed electrical circuit causing a fire or the like.

A further object of this invention to provide an ignition control mechanism which will, both open a circuit to the ignition system of the vehicle and yet which will actuate a fire extinsuisher at thesame time.

Stillfurther objects of the invention reside in the provision of an ignition control mechanism that is strong, durable, highly efficient in. opera tion, simple in construction and manufacture, capable of being installed on a variety of different types of vehicles and which, is relatively simple tomanufacture and install.

These, together with the various ancillary ob- ,iects of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are obtained by this ignition control mechanism, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the ignition control mechanism shown in an unactuated position;

Figure 2 is a sectional view similar to Figure 1 showing the device in its actuated position; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view as taken along the plane of line 33 in Figure 1.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral it generally designates a casing which comprises end walls I2 and M, an upper wall it, a bottom wall it, and side walls k 28 and 22. It is to be noted that one side wall is detachably secured to the other portions of the casing in, order to permit access into the ignition control mechanism.

A partition wall 24 at one end of the casing it is provided and is spaced from the end wall It thereof. However, this partition wall forms a portion. of the casing. Secured to the partition wall 24 and extending therefrom is a tubular member 28. A rod 28 is slidably mounted in the tubular-member 26 and is provided with a disk 3i? on one end adapted to actuate a push button switch 32, or the like, which is fastened on a plate 34 secured to the end wall I2 of the casing and which switch will serve to electrically disconnect the vehicle power supply from the elec trical circuits thereof. A spring 36 coaxial with the rod 28 biases the partition wall 24 of the casing and a stop member. 38 secured to the rod 23 to continuously urge the rod into. engagement with the switch 32. The other end. of the rod 28 is formed with an eye it to which a pull member 52 is adapted to be secured, the pull member 22 being attached to the actuation mech anism of a fire extinguisher or the like. Obviously, the pull member 42 may also serve to control a switch or circuit breaker (not shown) which would disconnect the power supply from the vehicles electrical circuits, thereby obviating the necessity of the push button switch- 32.

Secured in the casing ill and extending be tween the side wall it and the partition wall 24- thereof is a guide strip 44 pn which a mass, which preferably consists of a block it, is slidably mounted. I'here may also be provided guide rods :35 which are terminally secured to the end wall- [2 and the partition Wall 24 and received inslots ll in the block l6. which rods serve to prevent the block from becoming dislodged from theguide strips M. A spring 43 is secured at one endto the mass 48 and has its other end attached to a threaded rod' 59' which extends through the partition wall 2 3 and through threaded members 50 and 52, and terminates in a knurled head 54 in order that the position of the rod- 5!) may be adjusted. As is apparent, a compression spring disposed on the other side-of the block 46 may be utilized without departing from the scope of the invention.

Depending from the block 46 is a shackle member 56 to which the L-shaped latch member 58 is secured. It is to be notedthat the latch member 58' is provided with a slot 60 therein through which the shackle 5'0 extends. The latch member 58' is pivotally mounted on a shaft 62 which is secured between spaced upwardly extending cars 64' secured to the tubular'member' 26. Further, the latch' is provided with a lug portion 65 which is adapted to extend through aslot 58 in the tubular member 26 and engage the stop 38.

In operation, upon' crashing of the vehicle to which this device is attached, the mass 46, due to its inertia, will move toward the end wall 12 of the casing. This will cause the latch member 58' to rotate, as indicated in- Figure 2, and will release the stop member 38 which will permit the spring 36' to urge the rod 28 to engage the switch 32 to disconnect the power supply from the vehicle electrical circuits. Further; the eye 46 will be displaced, causing displacement of the pull member i2' which is connected to the fire extinguisher, which will actuate the fire extinguisher over" the engine. Thus, it is quite apparent that this device will prohibit firesbeing started due to openelectrical circuits and will also prevent the spreading of the flames due to the action of the fire extinguisher.

It isto be noted that the knurled head 54 and the rod 50 provide means for adjusting the tension on the spring 48' to determine the amount of the forces of gravity necessary to move the mass 46 so as to permit the spring 36 to actuate the rod 28. Thus, the device is selective against a consideration of the foregoing specification 1 and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit this ignition control mechanism to the precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An ignition control mechanism comprising a casing, a guideway secured in said casing, a

mass slidably mounted on said casing, spring means secured to said mass restraining said mass from moving toward one end of said casing, a tubular member in said casing, a rod coaxial with said member slidable relative to said member, a stop on said rod, spring means biasing said rod toward one end of said casing, a latch member depending from said mass engageable with said stop to prevent said last-recited spring means from urging said rod toward said one end of said casing, and a switch on said one end of said casing adapted to be actuated by said rod.

2. An ignition control mechanism comprising a casing, a guideway secured in said casing, a mass slidably mounted on said casing, spring means secured to said mass restraining said mass from moving toward one end of said casing, a tubular member in said casing, a rod coaxial with said member slidable relative to said member, a stop on said rod, spring means between said stop and said casing to urge said rod toward said one end of said casing, a latch member depending from said mass engageable with said stop to prevent said last-recited spring means from urging said rod toward said one end of said casing, and a switch on said one end of said casing adapted to be actuated by said rod, said tubular member having a slot therein, said latch member extending through said slot to engage said stop.

3. An ignition control mechanism comprising a casing, a guideway secured to said casing, a mass slidably mounted on said casing, spring means secured to said mass restraining said mass from moving toward one end of said casing, a tubular member in said casing, a rod coaxial with said member slidable relative to said member, a stop on said rod, spring means between said stop and said casing to urge said rod toward said one end of said casing, a latch member depending from said mass engageable with said stop to prevent said last-recited spring means from urging said rod toward said one end of said casing, and a switch on said one end of said casing adapted to be activated by said rod, and means for adjusting the tension on said first recited spring means secured to one end of said first-recited spring means.

4. An ignition control mechanism comprising a casing, a guideway secured in said casing, a mass slidably mounted on said casing, spring means secured to said mass restraining said mass from moving toward one end of said casing, a tubular member in said casing, a rod coaxial with said member slidable relative to said member, a

stop on said rod, spring means between said stop and said casing to urge said rod toward said one end of said casing, a latch member depending from said mass engageable with said stop to prevent said last-recited spring means from urging said rod toward said one end of said casing, and a switch on said one end of said casing adapted to be actuated by said rod, said tubular member having a slot therein, said latch member extending through said slot to engage said stop, and means for adjusting the tension on said firstrecited spring means secured to one end of said first-recited spring means.

5. An ignition control mechanism comprising 1 a casing, a guideway secured in said casing, a

mass slidably mounted on said casing, spring means secured to said mass restraining said mass from moving toward one end of said casing, a tubular member in said casing, a rod coaxial with said member slidable relative to said member, a stop on said rod, spring means between said stop and said casing to urge said rod toward said one end of said casing, a latch member depending from said mass engageable with said stop to prevent said last-recited spring means from urging said rod toward said one end of said casing, and a switch on said one end of said casing adapted to be actuated by said rod, said latch member being pivotally secured to said tubular member.

6; An ignition control mechanism comprising a casing, a guideway secured in said casing, a mass slidably mounted on said casing, spring means secured to said mass restraining said mass from moving toward one end of said casing, a tubular member in said casing, a rod coaxial with said member slidable relative to said member, a stop on said rod, spring 'means between said stop and said casing to urge said rod toward said one end of said casing, a latch member depending from said mass engageable with said stop to prevent said last-recited spring means from urging said rod toward said one end of said casing, and a switch on said one end of said casing adapted to be actuated by said rod, said latch member being pivotally secured to said tubular member, said tubular member having a slot therein, said latch member extending through said slot to engage said stop.

'7. In combination with the ignition system of an internal combustion engine, an ignition control device comprising a casing, a guideway in said casing, a mass slidably mounted on said guideway, spring means secured to said mass restraining movement of said mass towards'one end of said casing, a rod slidably mounted in said casing, a stop on said rod, means yieldingly urging said rod in one direction, latch means in said casing engageable with said stop to prevent movement of said rod, means carried by said mass for releasing said latch means in response to movement of said mass, and switch means actuated by said rod.

NICHOLAS V. DI LORENZO. FRANCIS A. DI LORENZO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS 

